The Conservative "Fear of Totalitarianism" Contradiction

One need not search the internet, television, or literature media very long before finding a very contradictory attitude concerning totalitarianism among conservatives. The contradiction is rooted in the idea that socialism, (or anything left of center, really) is equal to, or inevitably leads to, totalitarianism, whereby big government will violate every vestige of personal freedom currently enjoyed by most Americans. Conservative pundits (Fox News' Beck, Hannity, and O'Reilly among the most prominent) often conjure Orwellian imagery, or remind the public of the atrocities of Stalin or the repression by Castro and say, "See, look at those socialists and how much they hate freedom." While this assumption (socialism = totalitarianism) is fundamentally untrue and essentially a straw man argument, it would be acceptalbe to make this appeal if that was the end of it. However, this is only part of the picture. If one is to criticize or question core conservative values or ideology, (such as blind nationalism, right wing authoritarianism, military intervention in sovereign nations, income disparities created by capitalism, etc.), then the old "love it or leave it" argument often emerges. In this argument, conservatives embody what is meant by "blind nationalism" and tell opponents that "if they don't love this country, they should just leave." Glenn Beck recently took this philosophy to it's natural conclusion when he suggested that all progressives be eradicated . Love it or leave it, literally.

This is just one of the many contradictions that exist within the modern conservative philosophy, but it also seems to be going relatively unnoticed. On one hand, totalitarianism is used to scare those who don't know the difference between that and socialism. Proponents will say it's either all freedom, or all government, both a false dichotomy and a slippery slope argument (if we regulate corporations emissions, then Obama is going to have the "Green Police" knocking on your door for polluting too much). But in the same breath it is suggested that opponents of conservatism need not be heard or considered, just "eradicated", sent away, silenced. Orwell's pigs in Animal Farm insisted that some were more equal than others, and true students of the author know that he was a democratic socialist to the end, (it is both tragic and ironic that his works have been used to defend what he most despised).

This illuminates the core of conservative argument. Logic, reason, facts, all are of no concern. Say or do whatever to win. The combination of this political ideology with an often radical, fundamentalist Christian viewpoint creates a dangerous population. If the answer to criticism is the extreme negative, no dialog, no debate, no conversation, just negate the opponent, then when push comes to shove, violence is not far from inevitable (The Oath Keepers are just one example of how this could play out). Actors in the current political game need to be aware of this threat, which seems to grow stronger each day that it is not in power.